Shattering Reality
by CM Daily
Summary: Amber is a wishful dreamer--but when one wish goes too far, how far will Amber go to save her best friend?
1. Default Chapter

A/N: This was originally supposed to be two chapters, but I decided I didn't like it, so I combined the first two chappies to get this... but I bet you didn't have to know that, now did you? Um... oh, Labyrinth is not mine! Not, not, not, not, not-it belongs to Henson & all associated companies... Neither is Gathering Blue-that would be the property of Lois Lowry... ah, and "Eleanor Rigby"-such a cool song-it's Beatles. So it's property of...er...I think-Apple Records... The little snippet of lyrics is from "Crystal Ball" by Styx-awesome song. Hope y'all like this as much as I enjoyed righting it! No, that's wrong-writing it! ((let's see if you can catch that mis-quoted quote...))  
  
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"Sometimes I'd sit and gaze for days Through sleepless dreams, All alone and trapped in time. All alone and trapped in time."  
  
Chapter One: "Sleepless Dreams"  
  
Amber was tired. She had had another boring day at school and it was only going to get worse when she finally got home. She stared gloomily out at the cold world beyond the foggy window of the school bus. A tired little town that sprung up in the wake of a big city-that's all Mackleville was, really.  
  
The place sucked. Sucked-practically nothing there, except for adults and preps; apartment complexes, neighborhoods, restaurants, businesses, bars, grocers, gas stations-all the basics, but nothing too fancy.  
  
Sure there was karaoke night at Buffalo's-which she never attended-and Amber had lots of good friends, but life really, truly sucked if you were a 9th grade girl in Mackleville.  
  
She thought about school-Mackleville High. The school mascot, the Mustangs, was shared by almost all the schools in her county-right there, outside Metro Atlanta. She turned back to her book with growing distaste for humanity. She really wished she had been born as a tree-trees were really awesome.  
  
Amber closed the book on her finger to gaze at the cover and mark her place in one synchronic motion. She gazed at the cover illustration again, and her eyes traveled up to the familiar title once more; "Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry". It was one of her favorites; though she had only gotten it last year at a book fair, the cover was worn and a few pages were stained or bent or torn. She loved it. She read it to escape-something she enjoyed more than any other task-and often wished to just wake up one morning and be Kira.  
  
The bus turned into her neighborhood-an apartment complex, really. Amber's seat partner, a preppy Hispanic girl, left the bus and it continued on down the road. She closed the book entirely, realizing it was her stop. The complex she lived in was called Lakeview. Her stop was right next to its namesake-a manmade lake circled by trees, a few wooden bridges, a deck built out over the water, and a gravel path circling around it. Amber loved the lake, whereas most people found its murky green waters repulsive.  
  
"Stupid humans..." Amber muttered as she hopped off the bus deftly. Her 12- year-old brother, Jake, banged her in the head with his trombone case and laughed as he ran home up the gravel path.  
  
Amber straightened her messy, tangled brown curls again and glared after him with hazel eyes holding suppressed hatred. She dragged her feet forward, willing herself to make it through another day-for Asher's ((A/N: no, this isn't a typo. It's an actual name.)) sake, at least.  
  
So she walked home in this manner, a book in one hand, her book bag on her back. Rather than take the road home, she shortcutted on the gravel path, over a hill, and through some woods that ran behind her building, 24. Up a set of stairs, and there was the 2-bedroom apartment she grudgingly called "home". She barged in, and was confronted by her 8-year-old brother, Evan, who was chattering on about a toy, while the tiny, shaggy mutt of a dog they owned, Grace, nipped at her ankles.  
  
Amber sighed painfully, and walked quickly through the small dining/living room, down the 3-foot hallway and to the right-into the children's room. She crossed it, avoiding piles of clothes and toys and threw her school things onto the floor to join the chaos. She flopped onto the bed angrily and listened as her mom yelled at her about cleaning and chores and homework, all while folding clothes in her parents' bedroom, right next door. Amber just yelled out a submissive, "Yes, ma'am.", and glanced down at her arm, where she had written her homework.  
  
She read it silently, " Algebra page 687 (11-31); English, Lit book, page 412 (1-8); Social Studies, read Topic 12 documents, be prepared for discussion, PowerPoint due next Wednesday, notebook quiz; Science, chapter 17 study guide due for a homework grade."  
  
She gazed down at Gathering Blue longingly, and sighed almost inaudibly, "Guess I won't be reading for fun any time soon..." Amber pulled her books onto the bed with her and flipped on the radio-an Oldies station; "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles-one of her favorites-was playing. She opened her schoolbooks and set to work. Yeah, so far everything was a normal, boring day. But as every dreamer does, Amber had made plenty of wishes in her life- and some of her wildest ones were about to come true.  
  
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Amber slept restlessly; she tossed and turned during the night, talking and even screaming in her sleep, waking several times from her vivid, nightmarish dreams to find that everyone else was sleeping quite soundly- her dad had finally gotten home; she could hear his idiosyncratic snore during the night. The point was she didn't get as much sleep as she probably should have. So, even though the next morning was Saturday, she woke at about 5 AM, and didn't fall asleep again.  
  
Amber knew this was the only time she could truly find a silent solitude- her chagrining mother, working father, and two annoying brothers were sound asleep. She hopped out of bed and showered with a faint sense of happiness. She didn't know why, but she had, as of late, been experiencing a distinct lack of emotion.  
  
She walked silently across the children's bedroom to her closet. She pulled out of it a dress made of a light green/blue dyes material-the cloth looked like a river, and was just as flowing and beautiful. She slipped it on and stepped into a pair of close-fitting tan shoes-they looked like leather socks, and she loved them.  
  
Amber grabbed a book from one of the numerous piles surrounding her bed and snuck out the sliding glass door, vaulted over the edge of the deck, and ran off to the woods surrounding the lake in a misty May morning's half- light.  
  
She climbed high up into a tree, sat on a branch, and finally glanced at the book she had grabbed. Coincidentally, she noticed she had grabbed another of her favorites; it was titled in huge, curling gold letters "Labyrinth". Amber mused over the book for a minute and, on a whim, hopped quickly down from the tree, mimicking Sarah in the opening scene of the movie version.  
  
"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the Castle, beyond the Goblin City, to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours, my kingdom as great."  
  
Still copying exactly, she muttered to herself, "Will is as strong as yours, kingdom as great... damn. I can never remember that line."  
  
She pulled, from her large sleeve where she had been hiding it, the book and opened it, reading the next line aloud; "You have no power over me."  
  
She went on talking, now in a more wistful tone, and no longer from the text of the play, "I wish life really was like books... it would be so fun. In fact, I really do wish I knew what I had to say to get life to become a big fantasy world...at least for a little while."  
  
Naturally, people like Jareth really do exist, and he just happened to be listening to her little soliloquy. He laughed, "Silly child... perhaps I should humor her." He wondered how to accomplish this...and it came to him. Put a few words in her mouth, have her wish away someone, and send her on the wildest journey of the Labyrinth's extensive history-perhaps then she would grow up enough to realize how selfish her daydreams were. So he muttered into her brain, "All you have to do is wish someone away..... then you can go on your own adventure in the huge Labyrinth..."  
  
Amber fought this new idea as easily as it h ad sprung up in her mind, "But that's not how it works. The goblin king isn't in love with me, and surely he wouldn't bother with filling the request of a little dreamer girl like me-no way he even knows I exist, much less want a little adventure of my own."  
  
Jareth decided he liked this girl a bit-enough to feel that his efforts wouldn't be wasted on her. She had sense and fire in her childish spirit yet-she would grow into a fine woman. But that was beside the point right now, he realized as he planted another mental seed, "Still.... There's a chance-Sarah didn't seem too extraordinary of a girl, did she? No harm in wishing, anyway; it's not like anything would happen..."  
  
Amber saw sense in this thought and repeated the last few words to herself, "It's not like anything would happen... but who to wish away?"  
  
Jareth was going to have fun messing up this girl. He pulled a whimsical thought into her brain, "How about your best friend, Asher? It'd be quite funny, especially if you went over to her house today and rehearsed wishing her away."  
  
Amber mused over this for a minute and resolved to go visit Asherlynn that very day. She ran home to phone her quickly.  
  
Meanwhile, in the throne room of the Castle at the center of the Labyrinth, Jareth sat, laughing, on his throne. He couldn't wish for a more interesting child to play with-her mind and imagination worked almost triple the speed of most children of her age or ability.  
  
His mind shot back to the "girl" who had called on him almost twenty years ago-Sarah. He knew she had grown up now, and thrown away most of her memories of dreams and fantasy-even the memory of his love. Yes, she was, indeed, as real as Jareth-and she had settled down, married, and had children; she had moved on-almost to the point it seemed she had died. And if, indeed, she had died, Jareth knew it wouldn't seem any different than it did now. But here, in this young teen-in Amber-he saw a reborn Sarah. He saw her fire, her imagination, her affinity with and strong love for anything unusual-the free spirit that had died in Sarah had been reborn and reinforced in Amber.  
  
This saddened him beyond belief as it brought back the realization that Sarah had never loved him. Ever. He tried to clear his mind as he blinked back the fast-forming, never-fallen tears.  
  
In the meantime, aboveground, Amber was talking to a groggy, unhappily awoken Asherlynn.  
  
"Hey Asher?" she asked.  
  
"Da one and only. How can I help you?" Asher's voice came through the phone, and Amber could hear music playing in the background.  
  
"Can I come over today-around noon?" Amber asked.  
  
"Huh? Oh, sure. Ooh, bring that new book you got-I wanna borrow it." Asher replied.  
  
"Aight, kewl. So...see ya then. Luvs ya, byes!"  
  
"Bye." Asher said with a yawn, and Amber hung up. Amber went back outside, unnoticed, as her family was still sleeping. She took her new book with her and decided to kill some time reading. She walked back towards the lake but turned off the gravel path into deep woods, heading for her favorite tree. She glanced down at her blue, waterproof watch-7:30 AM-she had quite some time to read.  
  
"Good." She smiled, talking to herself again. She was truly happy for the first time in days.  
  
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NEXT CHAPTER: REALITY GAINS A WHOLE NEW MEANING AS THE PLOT FINALLY THICKENS! "GLAMORIE" COMES INTO PLAY, AND THINGS ARE PROVENLY NEVER WHAT THEY SEEM! READ THE NEXT CHAPTER TO SEE WHAT JARETH HAS IN STORE FOR OUR LITTLE "HEROINE"! 


	2. Bending the Rules

A/N: Ok, this be chapter two. WELCOME! Glad you could join me. ;-) Moving along... Labyrinth is the property of Henson & all associated companies. All Lord of the Rings character names, places, plot, lines, etc. are property of Tolkien ((and, if you wanna get technical, Warner Bros.)) "Draco Malfoy" is a Harry Potter character, and therefore property of Rowling. Once again, lyric snippet is from "Crystal Ball" by Styx. Yes, the idea is to eventually get the entire song into the story, chapter by chapter-simply because it fits the theme of this story so well-and don't worry, I have lyrics from other Styx songs if I run out of "Crystal Ball" (.  
  
PLEASE REVIEW!! I WRITE FOR REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!! And now to business...  
  
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"I wonder what tomorrow has in mind for me, Or am I even in its mind at all? Perhaps I'll get a chance to look ahead and see- Soon as I find myself a crystal ball. Soon as I find myself a crystal ball."  
  
Chapter Two: Bending the Rules  
  
Amber made her way back home and was in the door by the time her watch read 11:00 AM. Her family was up by this time, and they paid her no mind as she went about making a cheese and mustard sandwich-she was a vegetarian, and Evan had eaten the last of the peanut butter.  
  
Amber munched on her sandwich as she walked in the living "room". She found her mother sitting in the big, green chair-Amber's favorite chair.  
  
"Mumma... can I go to Asher's today?" she asked nonchalantly. This would determine whether she'd have to sneak away or not.  
  
"Sure, whatever, just be home before 9." Her mom waved her away.  
  
Amber frowned and walked outside, puzzled. Usually she had to plead her mom to let her do anything. She let it drop with a sigh and gulped down the last dry mouthful of sandwich. It was about 11:20-Asher wouldn't mind if she was a little bit early, and Amber would have to walk there anyway. So she started up the long road out of her complex, her new book shoved up her sleeve in the secret pocket Amber had sewn there herself.  
  
Amber sang a random tune, kicking a rock along the edge of the highway as she walked toward Asherlynn's neighborhood. She started in on a song she knew well as she turned into the neighborhood and walked on down Asherlynn's street. She danced on down the street until she reached Asher's house and it was up the driveway to her door. Amber knocked liltingly and waited on the doorstep, still dancing in place.  
  
Asherlynn opened the door, looking as if she had dressed in a hurry; she was wearing a t-shirt that was on inside-out and a pair of jeans with mismatched toe socks-though the mismatched toe socks were quite the usual for Asher's outfit. "'Llo?" she said groggily, rubbing her closed eyes.  
  
"Morning, Ash. You're shirt's on inside out, by the way." Amber laughed.  
  
"Ah, Gandalfy-you're early." She opened her eyes and blinked out at her with a smile.  
  
"Indeed, Frodo? I wouldn't've thought you'd forget but-'A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.' So there." Amber stuck out her tongue.  
  
Asherlynn just laughed and pulled her inside, shutting the door behind Amber. "So...what's up?"  
  
"Eh...not much, really." Amber sighed, and then proceeded questioningly (for it was rare Asher had a minute left in her day-to spend with her, anyway), "I thought you'd be busy today...?"  
  
Asher replied, "Didn't I tell you once before-'If I want to see you-"  
  
Amber cut her off with a sigh, "I know, I know-you'll make ruddy time."  
  
Asher shook her head, sighed, and half-hugged her. Amber smiled, "Today we're going to wish someone away."  
  
Asher replied, "Again? Oh, but I never tire of it. Let's wish away my binder! Draco Malfoy deserves punishment!"  
  
Amber laughed, "It's just a picture. Oh, whatever. Well...I was kinda leaning toward an animate object, but it doesn't really matter. On the count of three..."  
  
They spoke together now, "One, two, three-We wish the Goblin King would come and take Asher's binder away right now."  
  
The two fell back onto the floor, laughing, but suddenly-  
  
There was a white owl fumbling with the living room windows.  
  
Asher and Amber screamed and ran upstairs into Asher's room. Asher stammered out, "Oh gobs, oh gobs, he's REAL, it's really HAPPENING!" She was shaking horribly and it was all Amber could manage to pat her back comfortingly.  
  
Like a bad dream, the owl had crept to the bedroom window and tumbled it open. It flapped into the room now and circled their heads, landing in front of the two girls.  
  
There was a brilliant flash of light, and the girls covered their eyes. When they opened them again, before them stood none other than King Jareth- only he was a bit different than books and movies had suggested. He was a little taller, looked a bit younger, and had blue-streaked black hair rather than a white-blonde. His eyes, too, were different; both were a mix of many colors at once rather than one being brown and the other blue.  
  
"Amber, Amber... I'm disappointed in you! I had hoped I would have a bit of live prey!" he taunted her in a voice that was different, as well-far more soothing and velvety than the voice of any mortal.  
  
Amber gaped like a fish out of water. She reached blindly for something... finding Asher's hand, she grabbed her about the wrist and used it to slap herself. Hard. As Asher drew back her hand, wincing, Amber was jolted back into reality. Here stood the Goblin King-and apparently, they had business to settle.  
  
"Live prey? Who could you possibly want as live 'prey'?" she asked challengingly.  
  
"Asher, there. It'd be funny to se how much pain you would undergo to get her back-I highly suspect you'd die for her." He stated coolly, shrugging and seating himself on Asher's desk. Amber glanced over him again-he didn't look like he could be a day older than 16-and yet..... he seemed so out of place in that body.  
  
"Hey! You're sitting on Daniel Radcliffe!" Asher whispered timidly.  
  
Amber spoke a reply to Jareth, pinching Asher softly in warning, "Well, be that as it may, we have wished away something dear to us. I know the rules. Let us have our 13-hour torture."  
  
"Ah, you know Sarah's rules-" he laughed sophisticatedly, "You, my dear, you-have a much different task ahead of you. As for we... Asher shall become my prisoner in place of her binder. Too bad, so sad." He snapped and Asher vanished with a poof of silvery smoke, her binder reappearing on the floor beside Amber. He smiled maliciously at Amber, as if contemplating a plan he had pre-formed and looking at a sheep he was about to send to the slaughter house.  
  
"Alright. Name my challenge-I will be successful." Amber stuck out her chin defiantly, expressing more courage than she felt as her stomach sank.  
  
"You are to follow my orders precisely if you want Asher back. Nothing too taxing, really. You will enter the Labyrinth-but it will be much different than Sarah's challenge had been. That story was mostly Hollywood mangling a true event-as you can probably tell from my 'different' appearance. Come to think of it, Sarah was actually closer to your age-about 14-when she faced my Labyrinth." He smiled curtly.  
  
Amber nodded mechanically, realizing he was most definitely not mortal as she prompted, "So how would I go about entering the Labyrinth-and how long do I have to get to the Castle and save Asher?"  
  
"Ooh, new rules there, too. That's the fun part." Here, he grinned and continued, "You start at the center. You have 13 days to get out of the Castle as well as the Labyrinth-but here's the catch; there are 13 exits to my Labyrinth-at the end of only one will your freedom and Asher be. I can tell you more as far as exits-but I doubt you'll get that far. Let's go- out, out, out." He opened the window and the same bright light flashed through the room.  
  
Jareth was once more an owl, and Amber had changed as well-into a pale- skinned, black-haired faerie with flittering icy blue wings, clothed in a silky, cobweb-woven gown. Amber, still retaining the power of speech, stated the obvious in a voice as silkily comforting and cold as Jareth's, "Oh, and now I have to fly with you to get there?-new rules, indeed."  
  
Jareth just gave an owlish shrug and flapped out the window. Amber fluttered along beside him, and the air seemed to rush by faster with each second. That's when she realized she was rushing over a landscape she couldn't even see, as it was going by so fast. Amber gave an involuntary gasp and flitted to land on Jareth's back, placing her arms around his neck in fear.  
  
The ground slowed below them, and there was the Labyrinth. Amber seemed to come back to grips with reality and blushed as she loosed his neck to fly alongside him once more. His eyes glinted with an unknown emotion, and Amber blushed a little deeper as she realized she would've enjoyed just holding onto him, even after they had landed-forever. She looked back down at the Labyrinth-it was a lot bigger than the movie had suggested, but Amber took this as no surprise-she had often thought it was probably much larger. She barely had time to glimpse at it, however, before they landed on a balcony. Amber perched on the edge and the bright light flashed again. She was once more herself, but teetered precariously. She fell forward and Jareth caught her delicately.  
  
"Careful-how could we lose a player before the game has even begun?" he whispered in her ear, setting her on her feet again. Two close calls in five minutes-nice track record, Amber thought bitterly. She was going to have to watch herself. But somehow... Jareth also seemed to be less of a villain than the movie had made him-he even seemed like someone she might ask for help later in her journey-no, she told herself firmly. This was a mind game-a trick she was playing on herself. He would only try to fool her into losing- but this defense was dashed to pieces as quickly as it was born, and, unbeknownst to her, he had already realized he was quickly falling for her.  
  
"Hm... I told you I could tell you more about your quest later-and I will. Meet me in the Right Room.-it's on the ground level and is located, ironically, in the Left Wing. Get there by the dawn of the Second Day. It is the night before the First Day now-I suggest you get some rest. Do you have any questions?" Jareth said to her informatively.  
  
Amber swallowed dryly as she processed all this, "Uh... just two. One: Where am I to get some rest? Two: Why are you being so particularly helpful?"  
  
Jareth's face became expressionless as he answered her first question, "You can follow me-I'll lead you to a safe place to sleep." He walked on into the Castle, his back to her.  
  
"Wait-you didn't answer my first question." She said with a slight hope that he was being genuine in his help.  
  
He pretended not to hear her as he walked on through a hall covered in colorful tapestries and grandiose carpets. She simply followed obediently and silently, walking a bit faster so as to come up beside him and gaze at his face contemplatively. She looked again at his eyes-where it was hardest to hide an emotion-and was surprised at how skilled he was at suppressing emotion there, as well. She detected something there, but what she could not be sure of. He didn't even glance at her, but she knew he was aware she was watching him. She blushed slightly and fell behind him again. He stopped in front of a door that almost blended into the wall.  
  
"This is my corridor. Rooms where I sleep, eat, and house guests that I don't wish to die-for how can you play a game if your players are dead?" he smirked ironically.  
  
"You see my challenge as a game?" Amber questioned.  
  
He nodded, "A very difficult game, yes. You must balance your time and use all your skill to have success at a seemingly impossible goal." He opened the door to his corridor, and walked on down this new hall, Amber beside him once more.  
  
Amber frowned, "So that's all you see this as?-A game of skill? What if I don't make it to rescue Asher in time, eh?"  
  
He smiled, "Well, then one of many things may happen-I don't turn everyone into goblins, you know. You might switch yourself for her, and undergo whatever fate I may have planned. Alternatively, you may join her in her fate anyway. Or I could send you home and keep her to suffer. However, it could just play out that I don't feel like playing anymore and kill both of you. Any way you try to look at it, the odds aren't good and the outcomes are worse."  
  
Amber nodded and they stopped in front of another door. Jareth spoke again, "This can be your room for the night. Mine is right next door, so don't hesitate to yell if you need anything-anything." He winked and walked into the room next to hers. She walked in and didn't pay any attention to detail of the room as she fell to the floor, and instantly to sleep.  
  
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NEXT CHAPTER: A FEW NIGHT VISITORS CHANGE THE COURSE OF EVENTS! AMBER GETS A NEW NAME, AND MAKES A NEW ALLY! WHO? CAN'T TELL YA! YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO READ IT! 


	3. Where we're Going

A/N: Well, having the internet down certainly sparks my creativity-this is the third chapter I've been prompted to write for this story, and I still can't even ping a server. Oh well, I suppose this story will get up sometime... In the meantime, Labyrinth is NOT MINE, it belongs to Henson & assoc. co.; "Crystal Ball" still belongs to Styx; Dobby IS a Harry Potter character, so he's not mine either-property of JK Rowling; The Moorchild isn't mine either-that's where Keswyin and 'glamorie' come from-((wow ... suddenly I feel really insignificant...)) it doth belongeth to  
  
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"Well, tell me, tell me where I'm going, I don't know where I've been. Tell me, tell me, won't you tell me?- And then tell me again."  
  
Chapter Three: "Where we're Going"  
  
Amber woke in the middle of the night, breathing quickly. She sat bolt upright and knew instantly she was being watched-though by whom, she hadn't the foggiest. She glanced around the room quickly. She knew quite well where she was-her memory wasn't that bad.  
  
That's when she spotted it-something moving in the shadows. Certainly not threatening, as it seemed a bit small. It ran by quite near to her and she reached out to grab... a handful of little kid's soccer shorts. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she tugged on the handful to get a character she recognized well-Dobby-sitting in her lap. Only... he was different, too; he was wearing matching socks, and a soccer jersey. The colorful tea cozy he supposedly had had was nowhere in sight. Dobby hopped up and turned to face her.  
  
He squeaked, "I is sorry to disturb you, miss. Just tidying up a bit."  
  
Amber smiled, "No, it's okay. But... aren't you Dobby?"  
  
He nodded, "Yes, miss."  
  
She nodded as well, but only grew more confused. She asked him quietly, "Then what are you doing here?"  
  
"Dobby works here miss." The house elf replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"I...I thought you worked at Hogwarts, Dobby?" Amber was only growing more confused with each of his remarks.  
  
"Hogwarts, miss? I work for Hoggle, if that be what you're meanin'. Do you need to see a doctor, miss?-you seems a bit delirious to me." The house elf replied with a bit of concern gleaming in his round eyes.  
  
"Nah, I'm 'kay. Just... a little confused from all the 'Hollywood glamorie'- the distortion of stories and such," she replied, rubbing at her eyes.  
  
"Ah, I understand, miss. Uh... those 'Harry Potter' books, yeah?" he nodded, as if this sort of thing had happened before.  
  
"Yeah, I should learn not to believe everything I read." she nodded and laughed a little in agreement.  
  
"Ah, but did you really think anyone could have such horrible fashion sense, miss?" Dobby gave her a toothy grin and promptly left the room.  
  
Amber just sat there, shaking her head. Who woulda thunk fashion sense mattered to a house elf? But that was of no consequence. She still felt watched. And she also felt as if that encounter had been... planned, somehow-and she could definitely tell there was still someone else in the room. Having two little brothers had to be good for something.  
  
There were windows around her, and in pale moonlight Amber caught her first real glimpse of the room. It had an awful lot of windows-each of which seemed more like doors than anything else. These led onto a balcony, and in the room there was no bed-a few chairs, a small, carved table, and a huge pile of pillows in the corner. The carpet she had slept on was soft and thick, the same color as the moonlight-a pale, silvery white.  
  
She glanced around, still looking for her quiet observer. She stood slowly, ready to pounce on anything that moved. The sheer curtains that fringed the windows fluttered in a pleasantly warm breeze, and she saw her second visitor standing in the shadows beside the curtains-it was Jareth. She let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, and spoke, "Why are you watching me?"  
  
He jumped and realized he had been discovered. He stepped out, hands folded behind his back, and leaned against the edge of the window, "The night is indeed your element, Amber. Nice detective work."  
  
"Why do you keep avoiding my questions?" she sighed.  
  
He simply shrugged and walked out of the window, which she finally realized was a door, and onto the balcony. She felt compelled to follow him, and in a few moments found herself standing on the balcony as well. She noticed, as a light breeze fluttered her gown, that her outfit had changed-she was now clothed in a long, flowing dress of material that strongly resembled the night sky, complete with constellations and even a silver crescent moon located right below her neck. The cut was unlike anything she had seen, and the fabric felt unreal, but she let these details go as she focused now on the superhuman before her.  
  
"Why were you watching me?" she asked again.  
  
"I couldn't sleep." He shrugged again.  
  
"So you decided the next best thing to do would be to watch me?" she asked with a bit of mixed confusion, disbelief, and disgust.  
  
"Well, to test you. Which required observation, yes." He nodded once, emphasizing the word "observation" as if watching and observing were two entirely different things.  
  
"Ah..." she said simply, letting her thoughts race inward as only her eyes showed any evidence of thought outwards.  
  
He gazed up at the moon. "It's a beautiful night. I hope you didn't mind that I opened the windows for you-I thought you might enjoy the breeze. Do you think you'll be able to get back to sleep?"  
  
She blinked back into reality and watched him a bit curiously, "I doubt sleep will come to me again tonight. Its sweet caress is too elusive for my grasp."  
  
He looked down at her with raised eyebrows, "Quite the poet. Well, I doubt I'll be able to sleep either, so let's begin your challenge. A little early, I know, but you'll need all the time you can get and I think you've had a good enough introduction to the Labyrinth already-enough that you can wander the halls here without being too surprised too badly too many times more. At least, I would hope you weren't that naïve." He flashed a sunny smile, and walked back inside through her window, "Come along now, follow me. No time to waste!"  
  
Amber once again wondered if the only reason he seemed more villainous to Sarah was because she had made him to be the true villain in her mind-but she tried not to think about this and once more followed obediently.  
  
They walked back out of his corridor and onto the hall with the colorful tapestries. Somewhere, a clock struck 13. Amber smiled faintly-at least the movie had gotten one thing right; the 13-hour timescale. She realized she hadn't seen a single goblin. She shrugged. It wasn't like she was really looking forward to an encounter of that nature, anyway. They stopped as he locked the door and placed the tiny silver key in a fold of his flowing navy cape somewhere-it was then she noticed his cape looked almost identical to her gown. She laughed imperceptibly at this realization, and felt more than ever there was another bit of the story that Hollywood had gotten right. But of course, she didn't let him know that.  
  
He turned back to her, face solemn, and gave his first set of instructions, "As I told you, you are to meet me in the Right Room by the dawn of the Second Day. You remember my directions as to its location, I trust. This corridor is four floors up-it is unique in that it is the only one that has subtle difficulties, if any. Ah, and the most important advice I can give you now is something that should sound a bit familiar-'things aren't always what they seem, in this place'. Don't fall for 'Hollywood glamorie', as you described it. Good luck." He fought the strong urge to touch her-to shake her hand, to hug her, to kiss her, just to place a hand on her shoulder- though it took a lot of his resolve, he faded into the air and left her standing alone in the corridor with his feeble advice.  
  
She felt a small knot of fear growing in the pit of her stomach-she was going to be alone. All alone. For a day-if she didn't run into trouble. She doubted she'd make any little allies to help her along on her journey. After all, she had made up her mind that half of Sarah's story was "glamorie". She couldn't help but talk to herself, "And once again, I am on my own. Well, I'm not going to save Asher if I stand around and daydream all day-er, night..."  
  
With these last words, she walked on down the hallway. She suddenly wished she had a weapon, for who knows how much trouble she could run into here... especially, as Jareth had said, if the problems would be subtle...  
  
She tried to push this out of her mind as she walked on, cautiously. The tapestries on the walls were rippling as if blown by a breeze, but none was to be felt. She wished she had something to tie her hair back with to keep it out of her face. There was a loose thread in her gown-she tugged it out and used it to tie back her hair. It was makeshift, but it served the purpose. There were no errant curls in her eyes as she scanned the corridor warily. There-there was a bulge behind the tapestry. And it was on the move, thankfully slowly. She tiptoed up beside it, and pushed against it with her hands, as she was unaware it if were friend or foe. The bulge moved, and an arm seemed to come free, a tiny knife slashed a rent in the tapestry so that a head of dark complexion, fair curls, and lavender eyes looked out upon her-Folk. Only the skin was as black as night, the curls were as white as paper, and the eyes were speckled with a pulsing electric blue.  
  
"Lemme go!" the tiny Folk creature screamed-from its tone of voice, Amber knew it to be female.  
  
"What are you doing?" Amber questioned the girl-for it looked to be young, as well.  
  
"I's off to the Mound, gen'l business, just leave me to it!" the Folk girl said with a note of pleading.  
  
"What's your name, eh?" Amber asked the girl.  
  
"What's it to you, eh?" she replied mockingly.  
  
"I've got your knife, eh." Amber said, calmly grabbing the Folk's knife and holding it to her throat.  
  
"Eh... name's Keswyin. Gimme back my knife!" she shrieked.  
  
"Ah... I think not. You're going to help me. Then I'll give you your knife." Amber smirked. Perhaps she would have a friend of sorts, after all. She corrected herself-another friend.  
  
"Eh, don't need a knife. What else could ya gimme?" Keswyin gave Amber a smirk just as cunning as her own had been.  
  
Amber shrugged, "Oh, I dunno-I could whittle you a hickory whistle. Kinda primitive, but it makes music, and we're bound to come across a hickory tree before this is over with-and if we don't, I could manage it out of other wood."  
  
Keswyin furrowed her brow in thought. She seemed to be weighing choices to see which was the greater good-or evil. She nodded, "Alright. But I don't see what help I could be to ya."  
  
Amber nodded, "All I really need right now is a guide, of sorts. Get me down to the first level of this place. I'll let you know more then."  
  
"I dun need no details. By the way, girl, what's your name?" Keswyin asked, businesslike in manner.  
  
"My name?-Amber." She told her plainly.  
  
"Eh, ain't got no ring to it-and I dun think I could pronounce it, b'sides. How 'bout a new name?-From now on, you're...ehm... Lokiinlt, aight?" Keswyin prompted.  
  
"Alright, Keswyin." Amber nodded, and loosed her grip on the Folk girl, who slid out from under the tapestry to step in front of her. Keswyin snapped, and she changed herself to a girl a little taller than Amber, with the same white hair-but braided and long, now. She was clothed, Amber noticed, in a short, plain dress that looked to be made of cobweb, belted with a length of woven grasses, and was bare-footed. She retained her sable skin and speckled eyes.  
  
"I though' ya migh' feel more comfor'ble with me if I were a bit more like you." Keswyin explained, walking on down the corridor. Amber followed, convinced now that 'glamorie' was a powerful force in her world, indeed.  
  
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NEXT CHAPTER: THIRD FLOOR CORRIDOR-HEH, ANOTHER HARRY POTTER TERM-BUT IT DOESN'T HOUSE A THREE-HEADED DOG! WHAT DANGER AWAITS OUR HEROES? YOU'VE GOTTA READ THE NEXT CHAPTER TO FIND OUT! 


	4. Hall of Horrors

A/N: Well, I'm barreling along turning out chapter after chapter-still without internet. I wonder if I'm more productive simply because of that fact? Oh well, I'll worry about that later. Right now, we have some business to conduct! Once again, Labyrinth is not mine it belongs to Henson; "Crystal Ball" belongs to Styx ((lyric snippet)); I got the idea for alternate reality results from "The Cube 2"-another movie, this one is property of ; The Moorchild is not mine, it belongs to ; oh, and "Entish" is a Tolkenian language-so all that belongs to Tolkien. And now to business...  
  
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"My heart is breaking, My body's aching, And I don't know where to go. So tell me, tell me, Won't you tell me? I've just got to know!"  
  
Chapter Four: Hall of Horrors  
  
Keswyin and Amber had been traveling along the fourth floor for a while. Finally, Keswyin stopped in front of a wall-a dead end. But she turned to Amber, "Here we are, Lokiinlt-the end a' the corridor."  
  
Amber frowned. There had to be a way down-had to. But how? Jareth's words echoed in her mind, "things aren't always what they seem, in this place". She remembered-in the movie when the worm showed Sarah how to get through the "wall". Could this be the same principle? She walked toward the wall- and fell down a set of stairs. She tumbled for a while, until she came down with a hard THUD on a landing. Keswyin ran down after her, laughing.  
  
"Well, 'tis apparent you dunno yer way 'round the Castle." Keswyin said as she tugged Amber to her feet.  
  
"Apparently, Keswyin, apparently. That was very foolish of me, to just step forward and expect there to be something to stand on. But, now-we must proceed. What time do you reckon it is?" Amber sighed, rubbing her aching body, suddenly aware they had been walking quite a while.  
  
Just then, they heard the faint echo of a clock chiming 8. It had been 8 hours since Jareth had let her go on this crazy quest. She realized how tired she was-and in a bit of pain, too. Who wouldn't be after falling down a flight of stairs? But now they were coming to the end of the stairs. Amber wanted to keep her wits about her as they descended to the next levels, just in case there came to be a more imminent danger. There had to be a reason Jareth had given her almost two days to traverse three levels.  
  
There was a door at the foot of the staircase. Amber grabbed the knob, but it seemed to bite the inside of her hand, and she let go. She looked at her hand-yes, distinct teeth marks. She reached at the handle again, held on longer, and pulled back in a yelp of pain. Whatever had bit her before had bitten harder-and drawn blood. She ignored the wound on her left hand as she drew Keswyin's knife.  
  
The door seemed to shudder, as if it feared the knife. Amber took this as a sign, and spoke, "Alright, if you don't let me through, I'll cut a way through-OPEN!!!!"  
  
The door spoke back-but in its own language. All Amber made of it was a series of creaks and sighs as are common for wood to make. Good thing Amber knew a bit of the language of trees, Entish-at least that was something to start on. She translated haphazardly to get something like "I don't understand you, but-please don't hurt me!"  
  
Amber mimicked the sounds the door had made to the best of her ability, along with a few scraps of Entish, "Let us through and I will not hurt you. If you refuse..." here, she gestured with the knife as if slashing the door.  
  
The door shuddered again and swung open-apparently it had understood, well enough. Amber smiled and was glad her seemingly fruitless labors over "fictional" languages had not been in vain. She walked into the open hallway, and Keswyin followed, her face the very image of admiration.  
  
Keswyin said a bit timidly, "Nice job of it, Lokiinlt."  
  
"Thanks, Keswyin." Amber replied with a small smile. She turned back to the new hall before them, knowing there was more danger ahead. This hall had enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, and the light of the rising sun bathed it in an ethereal golden light. Amber was aware that her outfit changed appearance with the sky-it was now a series of pretty golds, pinks, oranges, and yellows, and the moon charm had melted to a golden sun. She slipped on down the hall.  
  
She became aware that there were doors to either side of her, between the windows. As to where they led, she had no idea. She was just wondering where they led when-behind her she heard the distinctive creak of an opening door, and, lightning fast the opening and closing of another. She turned, but found nothing suspicious except a door, left hanging open by whatever had just passed through...  
  
Amber turned back around, and muttered to Keswyin, "Arm yourself, and stay alert."  
  
Keswyin nodded, and mouthed silently, "Right." From somewhere unseen, she drew out another knife, though this was shorter than the one Amber had taken from her, and it's blade was of an old and tarnished silver, whereas Amber's was bright-except for a few red stains. Amber gazed down at the blade and wondered vaguely if those were bloodstains. She pushed this thought aside, as it was uncomfortable to consider that a murderer was walking beside her, and turned her attention back to the present. She watched more carefully now, and sure enough, a door popped open-this time, a few doors in front of them.  
  
They saw what was before them-and were both horrified and shocked.  
  
The people who rushed out-looked just like them. If they had gotten trapped in the hall for a few days, they were sure they would look just like what they saw before them-two starved, desperate figures running through a series of doors leading in a long, continuous loop, only-it looked as though, with the two starved figures, Keswyin was chasing Amber... and had regained the knife Amber had stolen.  
  
The "real" Keswyin glanced at Amber, wondering if she would believe this horrid sight-but Amber's facial expression spoke for itself.  
  
"Oh God..." she muttered, and clutched at Keswyin's arm. She was still only a child at heart-fourteen years of "growing up" had done nothing for her. Keswyin understood this and patted her arm soothingly, leading Amber on down the hall.  
  
As another door popped open, Keswyin glanced in. She was sickened by the sight-it was of Amber sitting beside her corpse-and eating her dead flesh. She shuddered, and walked on, shielding Amber's eyes with one arm, and keeping her own eyes straight forward.  
  
Keswyin knew the way out, but she also knew the trick of this floor-it showed you what was possible if you didn't get out-if you got trapped on the floor. Which was usually a good enough psychological defense for most people not to get to the door marked "EXIT" before they went insane. But Keswyin had been down this hall before. Another door popped open, and there she and Amber were-sitting in a corner, Keswyin's arms draped about Amber's shoulders. Both were dead from starvation.  
  
In yet another room, Amber had decided suicide the only escape, and knifed herself while Keswyin had left her to proceed to the exit.  
  
Keswyin had to fight the urge to cry, to scream, to throw up, a hundred thousand times, all the while holding an arm firmly in front of Amber's eyes-because Amber caught glimpses of the rooms, and was sobbing into Keswyin's side by now.  
  
"Sh, sh, little Lokiinlt. It's aight. Dun fear wha' canna be. We're here at the exit now, yer aight." She soothed the teen, half-hugging her while tugging her on through the door she had opened-the door marked "EXIT".  
  
When the door was safely shut behind them, Keswyin loosed Amber, who finally broke down, sobbing. It was around 1 PM, and they still had the second floor to go-but Keswyin knew the way, and Amber had enough time to rest a little. Keswyin knew the landing here was safe-mostly to ensure that goblins who had to traverse the third floor didn't lose their minds if they had been in too long.  
  
Jareth, who had naturally been watching the whole incident via crystal, now swooped out of a corner. He looked down at Amber with more than a little concern. He gazed back at Keswyin, not with hatred or anger, but in a cool businesslike manner asked, "You took her through the third floor?"  
  
Keswyin nodded. Jareth nodded once in understanding and spoke again, "I see. Would you give us a minute?"  
  
Keswyin backed away a bit, and turned her back on the pair.  
  
"Amber, Amber-oh, I'm so sorry I've put you through this, sw..." he stopped himself-had he been about to say "sweetheart"? He blinked as the emotion that had grown inside him in secret made itself known, finally. He draped an arm over her awkwardly, kneeling beside her doubled-over form.  
  
"It's not your fault." She said feebly as she sat up a little, still crying.  
  
"Yes, it's entirely my fault-I was the one who granted your wish in the first place-and for that, I'm sorry. I was so cruel, but-I didn't realize then, but... well, what I mean to say is, uh... never mind. Just, I'm sorry."  
  
She hugged him gently, her tears falling onto his silky shirt, "It's alright. I'll be okay. I know I need to go through things like that, and I need to get used to it. I have to rescue Asher. I have to. She's like a sister to me-and I'd brave anything for her." His arms fell around her almost naturally, and with every word she spoke he wished the rules didn't bind him to put her through all this-fun to mess her up, indeed. More like double the agony for him.  
  
He looked down at her, and bent to whisper in her ear, "But would you do the same for me?" He kissed her tear-stained cheek gently, and vanished away before she could say another word.  
  
Amber smiled faintly, and put her fingertips to her cheek-she knew he probably wouldn't hear her, but she whispered just as quietly, closing her eyes, "Of course."  
  
She sniffed quietly and got to her feet, wiping her face gingerly. She spoke in a firm voice now, convinced that that was only the tip of the iceberg, "Alright, Keswyin. Let's get going."  
  
Keswyin turned to face her and nodded resolutely, "Right. On to th' second floor, then... Oh, and Lokiinlt?"  
  
Amber turned to face Keswyin, "Yes?"  
  
"Would ya do th' same fer me, too?" Keswyin asked, with a gentle smile.  
  
"Of course." Amber returned the smile, turning to walk on down the steps. For some reason, she had more emotions now. And right now, despite all the danger that surrounded her, she was truly happy.  
  
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NEXT CHAPTER: SECOND FLOOR! WHAT AWAITS OUR GROUP HERE? WILL JARETH ACTUALLY ADMIT HIS LOVE?-WILL AMBER? WHAT IS TO BE THE FATE OF ASHER, WHO SEEMS PARTIALLY FORGOTTEN IN THE CURRENT SITUATION? ((heh heh)) WILL THINGS EVER BE BACK TO NORMAL AGAIN? FIND OUT-READ THE NEXT CHAPTER!! 


	5. All Alone

A/N: The fifth chapter produced without the 'net-there is definitely a connection here. Well, better get going-13 days takes a lot longer than you'd think! ;-) Once more, Labyrinth and The Moorchild are not mine-see another chapter for more complete details. New lyrics!-"Lady '95", also property of Styx-told you I had more. And now to business...  
  
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"Lady, from the moment I saw you Standing all alone, you gave All the love that I needed- So shy, like a child who had grown."  
  
Chapter Five: "All Alone"  
  
Amber came to the door leading to the second floor-it was wooden, too, and seemed worn with age. Or perhaps use. Keswyin leaned towards Amber's ear, "This's th' second floor-the goblin quata's. If ya ain't spotted one yet, you'll see yer fill here. This's where they live, but 's also a thoroughfare fer gettin' to other parts of the Castle and Labyrinth, so's they c'n work. Ya best stick close, an' I'll get ya through it in no time."  
  
Amber nodded, and motioned for Keswyin to open the door. She looped her arm in Keswyin's, and let her open the door and lead her into a hall-that was teaming with tiny goblins.  
  
Of course, some were tall and some short, but none were as tall as Amber's chest, and the shortest were to midway between her knee and ankle. They varied widely in appearance, but it seemed to be common to all to have a deep green-brown complexion and an annoyed and malicious expression. Amber noticed some were carrying knives and instinctively, her hand went to the hilt of her own, shoved into a makeshift belt that was simply a bit of the fabric of her gown torn from the bottom and tied about her waist.  
  
She clung closer to Keswyin's arm, and Keswyin marched onward through the crowds, sometimes steeping on a goblin or pushing one aside, always heading onward to who-knows-where. The goblins seemed angrier with each passing second, and several yelled out to them in rough voices: "HEY, lady, WATCH it!", "I'm not a steppin' stone, ya know!", "What the hell are ya playin at?!", "YOU IDIOT, DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO I AM? I COULD HAVE YOU EXECUTED IN A MINUTE!"  
  
The last threat came from one of the shortest goblins-his voice was squeaky, and Amber fought the urge to just laugh and stomp him into a bloody pulp-but she knew that would be cruel ,and cruelty was the last habit she wanted to develop.  
  
They walked on through the crowds for what seemed like forever. Somewhere, a clock struck 4-it was already 4! It seemed only ten seconds ago she was crying outside the third floor and-he had come to comfort her. She could almost still feel Jareth's lips pressed against her cheek and vaguely wished she wasn't in this situation-pressed for time, flowing through the entire Castle with a wary eye and weary body. She wished she could have more time-more time to spend with him.  
  
She was tugged out of this rather pleasant train of thoughts by Keswyin, who had pulled her onto the landing outside the second floor-this was a balcony. There was a set of steps leading off of it and winding down-it was clear these lead to the first floor, and Amber and Keswyin rushed down them in a state of relief. They hurried into the first floor corridor-and found it sparsely populated with goblins and various other creatures, going about their duties in the Castle, and completely undisturbed by the entrance of two strangers into their midst. Both of the weary travelers were glad for this change, and Amber gave Keswyin further instructions, finally, "Okay-I need to get to the Left Wing, then into the Right Room."  
  
Keswyin nodded, "But which is th' righ' room?"  
  
Amber laughed, "Oh, no-that's the name of the room, Keswyin."  
  
Keswyin laughed as well, "Wha' a queer name fer a room."  
  
Amber nodded in agreement, and Keswyin motioned for her to follow as she led her down the corridor. They came through a large foyer-a very lavishly decorated one, for that matter, as well as meticulously clean-and proceeded on into the Left Wing.  
  
"And now... it's the third door on the right." Keswyin muttered.  
  
Amber smiled, "This whole thing reminds me of something I saw in a movie once; 'Two wrongs don't make a right.' 'Yes, but two rights make a u-turn. And two u-turns make a circle, and two circles make a figure eight, and...' It was a hilarious movie, though I can't remember the name now."  
  
"Uh...huh." Keswyin replied. Of course, she had no idea what a movie was, but she remained politely quiet about this fact, and simply led Amber into the Right Room.  
  
Amber gazed around the room for a minute, taking in her surroundings. There were many chairs in this room, mostly big, comfy armchairs. There was a smallish circular table set before a bay window-which led onto a balcony- and this table was set for three, with three ornately carved chairs set around it. There was a huge pile of pillows in one corner, and a few folded blankets next to that. Keswyin had not shut the door-but they now heard it shut behind them.  
  
Amber froze, the sound bringing back memories of their little "adventure" on the third floor. She was about to collapse when a familiar voice whispered in her ear, "It's alright Amber-it was only me."  
  
Jareth walked around in front of them, imperceptibly squeezing Amber's hand fondly as he passed her. He walked to the opposite side of the table, and addressed the pair of them, "Very well, you have made it thus far. Now, since you have a bit of time on your hands and I cannot let you go from this room until the dawn of the Second Day, we may as well rest up a bit. So sit down, first of all. Then we will eat."  
  
Amber blinked a moment, still recovering from the shock of the closed door, and walked feebly to the seat to the left of Jareth's. Keswyin helped her to her seat, and then sat in the third chair at the table. They sat in silence for a moment and Jareth once again attempted to start a conversation, "What would the two of you like to eat?"  
  
Keswyin stood, "I'd like ta be sent on my way, if Lokiinlt be willing...?"  
  
Amber was a bit shocked, "But why?"  
  
Keswyin smiled, "Yer gonna be going through th' Labyrinth, right?"  
  
Amber nodded, and Keswyin proceeded, "I dunno me way 'round in there, so's I'd better be on my way-I have me own business to tend to, besides. I enjoyed helpin' ya."  
  
Amber stood and hugged Keswyin. They pulled apart, and the two clasped hands. Amber spoke in an understanding but sorrowed voice, "Do you want your knife back?-and what about that hickory whistle I was gonna make you?"  
  
Keswyin shook her head, "Rain check. Le's leave a bit a' unfinished business, so's we know we have to see each other again-if only to get it 'complished."  
  
Amber nodded, and the two embraced once more. Then Keswyin popped back to her normal, Folk self and abruptly left the room. Amber turned and smiled at Jareth, "Well, that simplifies things a little-at least I don't have to worry about her safety any more."  
  
Jareth smiled tentatively. He knew that beneath the calm surface was a crying toddler-but Amber had matured so much in the past day alone-he wondered what she would be like when she finished the puzzle-would she end up as cruel as he was? Would her hull become as impenetrable as his, her true self just as buried and muddled with everything else-here, he stopped himself. He realized that was what a teenager was, in essence-someone with an impenetrable hull who had lost a sense of self. He rephrased the question he had asked earlier, "Well then, what would you like to eat?"  
  
"I'm not really hungry. Just worried." Amber replied, swiping at her eyes so as not to let a single tear fall.  
  
"What are you worried about?" Jareth asked concernedly.  
  
"Asher. Can you tell me how she is? What's become of her?"  
  
"No. I'm sorry, but I know no more than you do. She is not my prisoner."  
  
Amber nodded sadly, "Oh. I understand." She once again became quiet and introspective.  
  
Jareth glanced at a wall clock-she noticed it didn't make a sound-and said abruptly, "Six o'clock. Dawn should be around... oh, say... 6 AM, so you have twelve hours now. Do you want to sleep now, and leave after talking tomorrow morning, or talk now and leave after sleeping?"  
  
Amber shrugged, "I guess I'd rather sleep now-to get it out of the way."  
  
Jareth nodded, and gestured vaguely to the pile of pillows in the corner, "Go sleep, then. I'll sit up and wait."  
  
She raised an eyebrow, "And let you watch me? Nuh-uh-too perverted a concept for my liking. Either you leave the room, or you sleep as well."  
  
He sighed, "Well, as leaving the room is quite out of the question, I suppose as perverted as simply watching you would be, I'll have to do the so much more decent and modest thing, and go to sleep as well."  
  
She winked and stood up, walking toward the pillows confidently. Jareth stood slower, following. Shaking his head and smiling faintly, he muttered, "What a mind this girl has, what a mind-to say nothing of her conscience..."  
  
Amber simply lay on the pillows, but Jareth grabbed up a blanket as he walked over, "Don't you get cold when you sleep?"  
  
She smiled vaguely, "Sometimes. But I'm used to being uncomfortably cold-I sleep next to a sliding glass door, rain or shine, winter or summer. Coldness comes with the territory."  
  
He nodded, "Well, tonight you're not going to have to freeze-I won't let you." Amber smiled wider, and he crawled across the pillows to lay beside her, draping half the blanket over her. Jareth turned away from Amber politely, but she snuggled closer. Part of him was telling him to scoot away, or even leave the room-he knew when her quest was over what choices she would make, and didn't want to have to make her choices any more complicated. But another part was urging him to turn over and hold her closer to him, still. He compromised and didn't budge.  
  
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NEXT CHAPTER: YES, WE FINALLY GET MORE INFORMATION ON EXITS-BUT WHO IS TO ACCOMPANY AMBER THROUGH THE DANGEROUS LABYRINTH NOW THAT KESWYIN IS GONE? AND WHY WILL NEITHER AMBER NOR JARETH ADMIT THE OBVIOUS TO THE OTHER? WILL THEY EVER DECIDE TO BEND THE RULES? I CAN'T TELL YOU! WANNA KNOW MORE? THEN READ THE NEXT CHAPTER, AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!! 


	6. Love Forever?

A/N: Well, I have net now. But only an hour a week o.0... and this is the sixth chapter I need to post. I guess now I'm just being lazy. *crosses fingers* I promise, promise, promise I'll get this up within the week. *uncrosses fingers* Nah, I'll take a rain check-next week. Anyway, you didn't come to hear me ramble. Let's get this show on the road! Labyrinth is, sadly, not mine-it's property of Henson, etc., etc.; "Lady '95" belongs to Styx ((lyric snippet));  
  
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"Evening when you lay down beside me Just take me gently into your arms. You're my lady of the morning Love shines in your eyes; Sparkling, clear, and lonely- You're my lady."  
  
Chapter Six: Love-Forever?  
  
Jareth woke sometime in the middle of the night. Beside him, Amber was trembling and whimpering in her sleep, and the blanket was quivering with the force. He turned towards her and shook her gently in an attempt to wake her, "Amber, Amber..."  
  
Amber woke with a series of rapid blinks. Jareth noticed wet lines on her cheeks-she had been crying in her sleep. Before he could stop her, she had wrapped her arms around him and was crying harder now, talking about a battlefield and blood and death and soldiers and cannons incomprehensibly fast.  
  
"Sh, it's okay-it was only a dream." he soothed, rubbing her back gently.  
  
"But it seemed so real!-Good Lord, if only you had seen it! It was horrible... there's no way to describe it, everything I saw and felt and..." she broke off and seemed to just collapse against him. She was still shaking.  
  
Jareth tried to calm her again, "It's alright. I'm here. Go back to sleep, I promise you won't have any more nightmares-at least not tonight. Just go to sleep."  
  
Amber clamed down a little, and stopped trembling altogether. Her breathing slowed. Jareth realized she had fallen asleep in his arms, and though he knew the right thing to do would be to let go of her, he held her still. He closed his eyes, and remembered his promise. Easy enough to keep-just have to do a little dream-walking. He fell asleep quickly, and neither woke again that night.  
  
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Jareth woke up while the room was still dark. He felt like he had only fallen back asleep seconds ago, though he knew it had been hours. He yawned, "I wonder what time it is...?"  
  
Amber, who was still lying happily in his arms, and who had happened to have awakened some time ago, answered quickly, "About 2 AM-so you've had your eight hours. Up you get, now."  
  
Jareth smiled down at her, "Aw... but I don't want to move. Not an inch. Ever." He tightened his hold on her slightly, though not to a point of discomfort.  
  
She smiled back, "Neither do I-but we have to. The game must go on. I still have 12 days to go, if you count today-and that's going to be a lot to accomplish, on my own."  
  
He kissed her cheek gently and hopped up, stretching, "Who said you'd have to go alone?"  
  
"Well, I was only assuming, since Keswyin left, that I would be alone." Amber shrugged and got to her feet as well, taking wobbly steps off the pillows.  
  
"To assume makes an ass out of you and me." Jareth winked at her and went on, "Besides, how could I let you go alone? You won an ally, it wasn't your fault you lost her-so I'll take her place."  
  
Amber stared at him in disbelief, "You? But you know the Labyrinth-you live here. Most likely, you'd help me along, and that would be cheating."  
  
Jareth shook his head, "No, I don't know the Labyrinth. Just the basic points of it, and of course I know a lot of the residents. I only know it has 13 exits because a groundskeeper-Hoggle, I think his name was-counted them once and told me. He also made up a little set of instructions for your journey, as a favor for me-to help you find the right exit."  
  
Amber nodded, "The 'glamorie' is certainly playing a huge role in pulling the wool back from over my eyes."  
  
Jareth smiled, "Well, we're not going to get anywhere if we just stand here, now are we? So, I'd better read the poem for you, and we'll head out."  
  
He pulled out a folded sheet of paper, unfolded it, and read, "13 exits has the Labyrinth, this we already know. Each has its own number, and reading clockwise from the front door of the Castle, they are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13-quite presumably. Each odd number leads back, while the evens lead forward. Each prime number holds a battle to the death, while composite numbers lead to the Bog. 1 has its own certain doom- it leads you all the way back to the Right Room. So what does this leave? 12 exits to reach and test, and 12 days in which to test them. At each I have placed another clue, but if you can find the hidden clue in this message, it will save you some time. Good luck-you have until sunset on Day Thirteen."  
  
Amber nodded, "Alright, and the hidden clue would be... well, combining all the information he gave on exits, it can't be one. Because it has to lead to some kind of exit, and not the Bog, it can only be prime, so that rules out 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 12. I'm assuming that the exit has to lead forward, therefore it can't be odd, so that also eliminates 3, 5, 7, 11, and 13. Well, that narrowed it down a bit-the only exit left is 2."  
  
Jareth nodded, "I'm pretty sure this will be accomplished in less than 13 days, then."  
  
Amber smiled, "Well, if my reasoning is up to par, one would think so. In any case, we can get to exit 2, and if Asherlynn isn't there, we can use the clue there coupled with those already collected to figure out where I went wrong in my reasoning."  
  
Jareth opened the door, "Well, let's go. After you."  
  
Amber shook her head, "Oh no, after you."  
  
Jareth smiled slightly, "Oh no, after you, I insist."  
  
"Well, if you insist... I'll just have to say it again-you first, Jareth."  
  
"Don't make me push you through."  
  
"You wouldn't."  
  
"I would-don't you dare say I wouldn't."  
  
Amber stuck out her tongue defiantly, and Jareth came around behind her, pushing and prodding her out the door before him, "Told you I would."  
  
Amber laughed, and they walked on down the hall. But Amber was already wary, now-it seemed as though every time she started to feel a bit at ease something terrible would happen. Jareth, too, seemed to tense up a bit, now that they were out in the corridor. They came to the foyer, and Jareth opened a side door, "Now am I going to have to push you through again?"  
  
Amber shook her head and walked through first, obediently. Jareth stepped out behind her, closing the door gently. The two walked to the outer gate of the Castle, the one separating it from the Goblin City. Amber started to climb up it, and Jareth pulled at her foot gently, "Hey, what are you doing?"  
  
Amber looked down and answered, "I've always thought it might be easier to get through the Labyrinth if you climbed on top of the walls and walked along them that way."  
  
Jareth laughed, "Well, that's certainly an idea-as to whether it's good or bad, that remains to be seen." Just the same, he jumped up to the top of the wall, and held his arm down to help Amber up. Amber took it and, rather than having to climb the rest of the way up, Jareth just pulled her up in one swift motion.  
  
Amber gasped, "Whoah... how did you do that?"  
  
Jareth just shrugged. It seemed as though he had a lot of uncommon talents. Amber just sighed, and walked on. They made it over the City walls in mere minutes. However, rather than come to a junkyard next, they came to a forest. A forest carefully organized into interlocking rows so that it made itself a part of the maze almost as organized as the very outside, where the walls were of carven stone.  
  
Amber looked out at the new obstacle before them, "Well, guess we'll be hoofing it."  
  
Jareth threw her a puzzled look, "Huh?"  
  
"Walking," Amber explained shortly, and hopped off the wall, landing in a crouching position. Jareth swung down to hang from the wall and drop- obviously, a lesser distance.  
  
"So... which way to exit two?" Amber asked, looking at their surroundings.  
  
"Eh... follow the sun-due east." Jareth said after a moment of consideration.  
  
"Due east? But the sun is setting, not rising." she said perplexedly.  
  
"Here, things are different, remember? The sun sets in the east, here-and rises in the west." Jareth explained patiently.  
  
She looked at him suspiciously for a second. He looked back at her, as if to say 'What? You don't trust me?' Amber just shrugged, and walked on into the labyrinthine forest, following the orange light that signified the sun's presence. She wondered vaguely, once again, what time it was-because now, time was of the essence. She realized she was ahead of Jareth, and slowed up a bit. He drew up beside her and they walked in silence for a minute.  
  
She was the first to speak, "Is it required by the rules that you try and distract me?-you know, like in Sarah's case, that Ball."  
  
Jareth looked at her shrewdly for a minute, as if sizing her up, and replied, "Yes and no-it depends on other factors. I don't have to in every case. The rules do require me to affect decisions made by the Traveler, but that doesn't mean an elaborate distraction."  
  
Amber frowned. Her mind was working overtime now, and she took a minute to collect her thoughts. She stopped for a minute, and looked at Jareth. He stopped, a few paces ahead, and looked back at her.  
  
Amber spoke one sentence, "You know what, I love you."  
  
She stood there for a second longer as mixed emotions crossed his face. Amber blushed a bit, and walked on ahead of him. He ran to catch up with her, but couldn't seem to find anything to say.  
  
Finally, he spoke as well, "I love you more."  
  
Amber turned to smile at him, still walking. She winked. "I love you most." She turned back to look at the road ahead. He came up beside her and the two walked on in happy silence for a while.  
  
Amber broke the silence once more, "So, are you going to try to elaborately distract me?"  
  
He shrugged, "Why should I?-If it turns out you were right about the exit issue, the two of you still have to stay in the Labyrinth until time runs out. That's another rule-but I can't take her away again in that time. So there's no real reason to distract you now when if we get to Asher faster we have time left over."  
  
Amber nodded. She didn't really want to talk about what would happen after they rescued Asher-she didn't want to think about it. He quietly and gently took her hand, and the two walked on, again in a contemplative silence.  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
*crying* Don't you just love a dramatic love story?-Uh, anyways...  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: ONCE AGAIN, WILL ASHER EVER APPEAR? WAS AMBER RIGHT IN HER ASSUMPTIONS? SO THEY ADMITTED THEIR LOVE, SO WHAT-BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THEY FIND ASHER? COME TO THINK OF IT, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HER? WHAT FATE AWAITS OUR HEROES? AND...WILL WE EVER MEET HOGGLE? WANNA FIND OUT? TOO BAD, CAN'T TELL YOU-YOU'LL HAVE TO READ THE NEXT CHAPTER-AND PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!!!!!!!! 


	7. Mr Hummin

A/N: Welcome to chapter seven! Amazingly, even though I have no idea how an audience will react to this piece, I have written ahead anyway! Never have I been so motivated to write! Anyway, Labyrinth still belongs to Jim Henson. Chetter Hummin and the character name "Dors Venabili" are property of Isaac Asimov, as they appear in his Foundation series. "Mr. Roboto" is yet another Styx song-and I still haven't run out of Styx lyrics to fit this story! Yay!  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
"I'm not a robot Without emotions; I'm not what you see!  
  
I've come to help you With your problems So we can be free."  
  
Chapter Seven: Mr. Hummin  
  
Amber sat bolt upright, coming quickly out of a light sleep to look around. She could've sworn she had felt something-someone-nearby. Jareth was still laid against a tree trunk, fast asleep. She decided it was probably safe to leave him there for a moment to look around.  
  
It was the night of the Second Day-Jareth had forced her to lie down and rest for a while. That had been an hour ago. The stars above in the velvety sky now shined brightly down upon Amber as pseudo-stars twinkled below from their background of slinky cloth.  
  
Amber walked cautiously in an outward spiral from the tree she had fallen asleep beneath. She could hear the creaking of branches-though there was not a breath of wind in the forest. There was also another sound-like human footsteps, only-who else would be wandering around in this labyrinthine forest? Amber once more drew Keswyin's knife and walked on, exercising a large amount of perceptual vigilance.  
  
She turned her head quickly as she heard a sharp crack of a branch, as if broken underfoot. She came face to face with another familiar figure-or what seemed to be one-Chetter Hummin. The odd thing about it was that he looked exactly as Asimov had described him-or perhaps it had been that Asimov had actually had more than the usual cloudy inspiration for his writing. She finally realized he was still just standing there, staring at her in what had to be at least a small amount of shock. She finally got up the nerve to speak.  
  
"You are Chetter Hummin, yes?"  
  
"Yes. And you would be?"  
  
Amber held out a hand, "Amber."  
  
Hummin shook it slowly, "No second name?"  
  
Amber momentarily raised an eyebrow, then realized the reference, "Oh, it's Venabili. Amber Venabili."  
  
Hummin gazed at her in shock for a moment, and then spoke. "Are you aware there was another robot by the name of-"  
  
"Dors Venabili? Yes, I am familiar with the name, though I have not met her- and rest assured, I am of no relation." Amber continued casually.  
  
Hummin looked at her and nodded slowly. It seemed as though he was in a state of slight shock. Amber wanted to clear things up a bit for him, "So, do you know where you are?"  
  
Hummin shook his head, "No. I have a strong suspicion I have traveled into archaic times, to say the least. Perhaps I should've taken another black hole..."  
  
"Do you mean to tell me black holes bring on time and space travel?" Amber's eyes widened.  
  
"Surely you already knew that?-Ah, but as I stated, I think this is a rather archaic place..."  
  
Amber shook her head, "Not quite. This is the Underground. Right now, you're in a kingdom referred to as the Labyrinth. This place, to my knowledge, is pretty much the only place that is really outside of time and space."  
  
Hummin nodded slowly, "I see. And where exactly are you from?-you seem out of place here as well."  
  
"Oh, I'm from Earth. Though I think an earlier one than the one that created you-I don't think we're quite that far advanced yet." Amber continued, as amiable as ever. This was turning out to be a rather pleasant surprise.  
  
Hummin smiled politely, though it seemed he had to make great effort to do so. He spoke in less grave tones now, more light and close to friendly, if this was possible for a robot, "Well, what is your business in this forest?"  
  
"I'm on a quest to save a dear friend. Would you like to help?" she tilted her head to the side.  
  
"A quest?-such a young lady, out here alone on a quest? You look not a day older than 14.-but of course I'll help you." Hummin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
  
Amber laughed gently, "Actually, I'm not alone. I'm traveling with the king of this realm-who happens to be asleep at the moment. We should probably run back and wake him, if only to introduce the two of you."  
  
Hummin nodded, and gestured as if to say 'Lead the way'. Amber walked back through tangles of trees and soon came back to gaze upon the sleeping Jareth. She pointed at him, and faced Hummin, mouthing silently, 'There he is-still asleep. His name is Jareth.'  
  
Hummin nodded and sat placidly beneath another tree, near to Jareth's but not imposingly near. Amber climbed up Jareth's tree carefully, and settled herself on a bed of branches and leaves, to sit and wait until he woke. She kept her eyes open, however-there was still the matter of creaking branches that hadn't been accounted for yet.  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
Let's check in on our half-forgotten Asher, shall we? This is her story from the time Amber arrived to the end of the first day. We'll catch up a little more next chapter. Promise!  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
Asher woke with a start to find herself alone. Alone in a dark room-no, dark was an understatement. There was no window, and no sign of any kind of light. In fact, the only way Asher actually assumed she was awake was because she wasn't dreaming any more. She was sprawled on some kind of stone floor, and it felt damp beneath her-she sat up-no, there was something damp on her head. Asher's eyes adjusted slightly to the pitch black room, and she put a hand to her head-not something damp. Asher realized with a little more than slight shock that there was a gash in her head, which was bleeding quite liberally. A rectangle of light appeared on one side of the room. A door had been opened. And in it stood a figure that was barely recognizable-could it possibly be Hoggle? Asher sat in confusion for a moment before the figure stepped closer.  
  
He introduced himself, "I'm Hoggle, ruler of the Labyrinth. Welcome to the dungeons of Exit Two-Amber is definitely faring better at the moment. Physically, anyway."  
  
Asher gaped like a fish out of water for a moment, "Excuse me?"  
  
"I run the Labyrinth. Period. And you are my prisoner. Period. Amber is faring better. Period. Need it any more basic?" Hoggle flashed a sarcastic smile, this lightening his youngish face considerably.  
  
Asher's eyes had gotten used to the light to notice he wasn't quite a dwarfish dwarf-he was taller than her, and had smooth skin and maliciously glinting ginger eyes. Even his voice and outfit were different-the former was more human and soothing, and the latter was more along the line of an 1800s gentleman. Asher blinked in slight astonishment, and stood.  
  
"Well then, Hoggle, what do you mean by 'ruler'?" Asher spoke, taking a leaf out of Amber's book, with more courage than she felt.  
  
"Well, since you seem to enjoy being frank, I will follow suit. Jareth is merely a figurehead. All I need is a man like him to be the muscle, and I can handle being the brains."  
  
Asher raised a questioning eyebrow, and immediately winced as the cut on her head moved painfully with this expression. Hoggle smirked amusedly, and said, "Here, let me get that. I don't think you should loose too much blood now-where would the fun be in that?"  
  
Hoggle held a hand over the gash for a moment, and it healed up. Blood, however, remained covering Asher's skin from where it had been. Asher wiped most of the still-wet bit off with her sleeve. She looked at it as she pulled it away-the deep, bright red blood left an ominous stain on her arm. She glared back at Hoggle, "And why the hell am I down here in a dungeon with blood covering half of my head?"  
  
Hoggle once more smirked in amusement, waving a hand as if to say her anger mattered for naught, "You've been out cold for.oh, we'll say a few hours, probably. It's not my fault the goblins that carried you here were a bit- clumsy."  
  
Asher sat back on the floor. She felt fatigued. "Probably from blood loss." she muttered to herself. Hoggle looked down at her, "I didn't give you permission to sit."  
  
She glared burningly back up at him, "I didn't ask for permission."  
  
Hoggle reached out a hand and slapped her hard across the face. Asher put a hand to her burning cheek and gave Hoggle a sharp kick in the shin. He glared with a sophisticated anger and authority down at the girl, "You will pay for that, young woman."  
  
Hoggle dragged her to her feet with one arm, using the other to pound her senseless. As his punches and kicks fell over her face and body, she fell into a half-trance, drifting in and out of reality, barely feeling pain. And when she did pop back to life, the only thing she could think about was Amber-where was she now? What was she doing? She had better hurry her damn butt up, or there might not be an Asher left to save.  
  
Suddenly the attack stopped. Asher collapsed against Hoggle. Her bruised body had fallen into a state of semi-consciousness, and she barely registered Hoggle suddenly becoming a lot more caring. He came down to his knees slowly, gingerly holding her broken body as he began crying. He placed her gently on the floor, and sat beside her, muttering for almost no reason ((as there was no way Asher would hear him)), "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Forgive me. You poor girl! I'm sorry."  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
A few hours later Asher awoke to find Hoggle still sitting beside her, his eyes red and his face covered in tearstains. Asher backed away a bit, instinctively, and winced again as bruises made themselves known.  
  
Hoggle smiled wearily at her, "I'm sorry. I can be a real bastard sometimes. Please forgive me, Asher. I want to try to be as kind to you as possible, but with the role I usually play, it's so hard to do so."  
  
Asher glanced at him suspiciously, "How can I forgive you? You beat me senseless for no damn reason, and now you expect me to forgive you! What kind of idiot do you think I am?" She reached out and slapped him so hard it left a bruise on his cheek that showed almost immediately, not to mention making her hand sting with pain.  
  
He looked at her, still smiling softly, "Please? I swear, I'm sorry-I promise I won't do it again. If I do."  
  
Asher glared at him, "If you ever even touch me again, I'll rip off your manhood and staple it to your forehead!"  
  
Hoggle shifted uncomfortably, "Well, you could do that. But I'd really like to try to get along. Please?"  
  
Asher still kept a suspicion in her face as she answered, "We can try. But I will not back down on my threat."  
  
Hoggle nodded, "Understood. But can we make a compromise?"  
  
Asher motioned with reluctance for him to continue. He did so, "Can I touch you if I have your permission?"  
  
Asher smiled slightly, "Sure-if you ever can get my permission."  
  
Hoggle nodded, still keeping his gentle smile, "Great. Let's see about getting you to better waiting quarters, eh?"  
  
Asher nodded, "Sounds great to me." She stood, brushing herself off.  
  
Hoggle stood as well, and walked out of the room. Asher followed curiously- what was going on now? Why was he being so bipolar? She kept suspicion thick about her like armor as she left the room behind him.  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: ALRIGHT, SO I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ASHER-BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW? WHAT ELSE IS LURKING IN THE FOREST MAZE? AND DOES HOGGLE HAVE AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE, OR SOMETHING? REALLY, WHY IS HE BEING SO BIPOLAR? WILL MORE THAN ONE TWISTED ROMANCE PLOT END UP WITH HARD DECISIONS FOR OUR MAIN CHARACTERS? WILL I EVER GET TO STAY ONLINE FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR A WEEK SO I CAN ACTUALLY POST THIS STORY? CAN I EVEN TELL YOU THE ANSWER TO ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS? NO! YOU'LL HAVE TO FIND OUT ON YOUR OWN-BY READING THE NEXT CHAPTER! MUAHAHAHAHA! AREN'T I CRUEL? 


	8. Finding the Way

A/N: Still barreling along, still without any promise that this story will be liked by anyone. I must have some nerve, huh? How dare I store up eight chapters without any idea as to the general reaction of the public! Oh well. Once again, Labyrinth is property of Henson. Lyrics are-shock!-"The Long and Winding Road" by The Beatles. Yeah, I'm a fan of them, too. And I would've just burst with disappointment if I hadn't eventually used their lyrics. Oh, the idea that Asherlynn should be Jareth's long-lost sister is property of my good friend Devonny Stratton-read her stuff, you'll love it! So...NEwayz, here be the new chapter. Enjoy! And now to business...  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
"The long and windy night That the rain washed away Has left a pool of tears Crying for today.  
  
Don't leave me standing here- Let me know the way!"  
  
Chapter Eight: "Finding the Way"  
  
((Quick reminder: we last left Asher at the end of the first day. This is the beginning of the second day to where we last left Amber-in the night of the second day. Okay, I left out a few hours... don't hurt me!))  
  
Asher woke without opening her eyes, still groggy. She was lying in a bed, she knew, but her eyes shot open as she realized it was not her own. Then recent events came back at her in a rush and she gazed around the room that Hoggle had led her to the night before.  
  
It was plain, but comfortably so-the floor was still bare stone, but the bed was soft and warm and there was light streaming through several windows in the room, so Asher was comfortable for the moment. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of her bed, tying on her shoes sleepily. She flopped back onto the bed with the sudden realization that she had no idea where she was supposed to go, or what she was supposed to do.  
  
Asher hopped up and walked to the door. She jiggled the handle-locked. She sighed and placed her back to the door, sliding down it until she was sitting propped up against it. Great-just great; she had escaped the fire to be thrown back into the pan. There was nowhere to go, and no telling where she was. But then she remembered-the windows!  
  
Asher quickly ran over to one, looking out it and hoping for a piece of at least semi-familiar scenery. She was in luck-she could see the plain outlines of the stone walls of the outer edge of the Labyrinth running systematically. A little ways off, she could see a forest, and beyond that a tall hill on top of which stood the Castle. She knew she could escape easily-if only she was in a lower room; this one seemed high up, and she was afraid of heights to begin with. So no escape from that point.  
  
Asher walked dispiritedly back to the door and jiggled the handle again. She sighed and slumped against it, turning the handle. She gave a small shriek as the door swung open and she fell unceremoniously to the ground- she had been trying to pull the door open before, when all she would've had to do was push. Asher blushed, though without reason; the hallway was entirely empty. It was like a ghost town.  
  
She walked with a sense of fear down the hallway, her footsteps echoing off the uniformly similar surfaces of roughly hewn stone wall and floor. There were also windows on the hall, and doors that almost blended into the wall that obviously led to other rooms. Asherlynn wandered around a bit more, and finally decided no progress was going to be made on escaping if she kept wandering aimlessly. So she opened a door, praying there was a stairway leading down and out-instead, she stumbled upon a room lined with bookshelves, with one ornately carven wooden table in the center, set on a foreign-looking rug and surrounded by comfortable-looking upholstered chairs. There was a single book lying on the table.  
  
On a whim, Asher entered the room and gazed at the book- "Labyrinthian Royalty: A Family Tree"-thus it was titled in curling letters that glinted many different shades and colors, these letters set elegantly upon a plain- looking green leather-bound volume about an inch thick. She opened the book and leafed through it for a few moments.  
  
Something on a page caught her eye-she read aloud, "Jareth II, 1985-? A curse was set upon this prince while he was still a boy-that he would never age a day past 16, though his mind and spirit would; though his race, by his mother's blood, is immortal, they do not retain immortal youth, as bestowed upon him by this curse. Blah, blah, blah..." her eyes trailed down the page over the brief life history, but the name below caused her to emit a gentle scream.  
  
She rubbed her eyes disbelievingly, and stared back at the time-worn book, reading again, in a quieter voice, almost trying simply to convince herself, "Asherlynn, 1989-? This princess was banished to the mortal realm upon birth, by her 'father', the reigning king. Her older brother, Prince Jareth II, pleaded the infant was innocent, but the father was wary that the child might rise against him in rebellion, as foretold by a traveling prophet; she was sent to live with a mortal family, and adopted the second name 'Stratton'. In 1993, Jareth II took the throne after his father's untimely death, and searched in vain to find some trace of his long-lost sister. He gave up 7 years later, however, when his workload became too heavy to spend any time making a real effort at anything else. Recently, he has neglected much of his work to resume his search, through tip-offs that Asherlynn 'Stratton' was indeed alive-it is presumed that because of this, the goblin population has dropped by at least 50%. However, most of his advisors have the same thing to say; as she was cut off from all contact with the Underground realm, her fate at this point is quite unknown-and she is, quite presumably, dead."  
  
Asherlynn rubbed her eyes again and reread the passage several times over, each time telling herself it couldn't be real-but then again, could it? She had always felt-different. This explained it all, even Hoggle's odd behavior-he had noticed who she was, and immediately feared punishment for mistreating her.  
  
Asher left the book lying open on the table as she walked briskly from the room. She had a newfound confidence now-she thought that even if she wasn't the Asherlynn of royal blood, she could pose as her easily, giving her an entirely new authority over the citizens of the Labyrinth. She gazed out the window again, though she had to take a double-take; she could distinctly tell that it was sunset as the land was bathed in a brilliant orangish glow-which would have to mean she had spent much longer than she had thought reading and rereading the passage in "Labyrinthian Royalty". She blinked rapidly as she walked on down the steadily darkening hall. Suddenly, lamps glowed magickally to life in tiny, sporadically placed alcoves in the walls. Asherlynn was glad for the extra light as she opened another door. Behind it, she found what she had been looking for-a staircase. She walked on down the stone steps quickly, coming to a landing with a door where the steps continued down. She ignored the door, and kept on down the stairs.  
  
Asher bent over and looked out a window that was placed beside a step, and a bit lower, so that goblins could see. She was closer to the ground now-at a safe height to jump out of a window, if need be-just about at ground level. But she could see now an obstacle that she hadn't before-the tower she was in was surrounded by a lake, and it looked as though the only way across was by raft-she could see a dock where a few were kept.  
  
Now, you may be saying 'Why was this so much of a problem? Just jump in a raft and row, you silly girl!'-but for Asherlynn, it wasn't that simple. Oh yes, brave Princess Asherlynn, the escaping prisoner was not only afraid of heights-she was also afraid of water.  
  
So, back to the story-  
  
Asherlynn stood on the steps, quaking in her boots, as she gazed out at this new and ominous sight. The last time she had been on a raft-actually, on any kind of craft that floated on water-someone who knew what they were doing was driving, and her friends had had to force her into it, besides. Now, when her only hope for escape was to risk her own life by hopping into a raft and attempting to pole it over a lake that stretched for who knows how long-now she was really worried.  
  
Asher looked farther into the landscape, towards the comforting sight of flat land stretching to the stone walls beyond, as she once more began talking to herself, "Well, two options-pole myself out to escape, wait here for Amber, or climb back upstairs and sulk-wait..." she frowned, and went on, "No, that's three options. Which to choose, though, that's the important part...?"  
  
She sat in silence for a moment, and resolved to face her fears as she walked on down the stairs. She laughed gently as she said, "Besides, what's the worst that can happen?"  
  
She jumped and almost fell the rest of the way down the steps as she heard a voice behind her, "That's the spirit."  
  
For another moment, she remained frozen to the spot, and then turned slowly to find herself face-to-face with Hoggle. She wondered what his reaction was going to be and subconsciously placed her arms defensively over her stomach, as if preparing to deflect a blow, "Why are you following me?"  
  
Hoggle raised an eyebrow and asked with a note of condescension in his voice, "Following you? You make me sound like some kind of stalker, woman- no, far from it, I am guarding you. You are my charge until you are either rescued or delivered into Jareth's custody for sentencing."  
  
Asher frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then asked something she had just figured out, "Jareth-he's not the first of that name in his bloodline, is he?"  
  
Hoggle looked at her with the shadow of an amused smile playing lightly on his lips, "No-he is Jareth II. His biological father was the first."  
  
Asher raised an eyebrow now, though this gesture bore no malice, "Biological father? What are you getting at?"  
  
Hoggle continued on, sitting gently on a step that was a few above the one on which Asher was still crouching, "His father was killed by his uncle while he was still a young child, and his uncle took the throne-of course, Jareth II always called King Yagrind-his uncle-father, because he was told to by his mother and many other people close to him when he was younger. Jareth the First had left his wife pregnant with a set of twins-one of them a girl called Asherlynn-before he was killed. The queen loved the babies, but because Yagrind was cautious and jealous, he banished the infant Asherlynn to the mortal realm-some say he was acting on advice given him by a prophet, but I think that is simply poppycock."  
  
Asher emitted a shocked gasp at this new piece fitting into the little puzzle that was forming in her mind-but she asked another question, as one bit in the puzzle didn't quite make sense, "Wait, Hoggle, how do you know so much about the royal family?"  
  
Hoggle grinned, "Why, Asherlynn, I thought with all the reading you've been doing you might've figured it out on your own-I'm your twin brother."  
  
Asher just sat there in shock for a few minutes, "My...br-brother?"  
  
Hoggle nodded once, "Yes, but my birth name is Hollogin. Hoggle is just a nickname-kind of like calling you 'Asher'."  
  
Princess Asherlynn nodded mutely for a few minutes, waiting for it all to sink in. There was an awful lot behind what had once seemed a simple story of unrequited love to her-a lot more than meets the eye behind "Labyrinth", in all actuality.  
  
Hoggle grinned down at her and spoke, tearing her out of her daydreams, "So, do you trust me now, sister?"  
  
Asher blinked out of her daze and looked him straight in the face, "Absolutely. Now, am I supposed to just sit here all night, or are we going to work on escaping?"  
  
Hoggle smiled, "Escaping, of course. What else could we possibly do, sit and rot?"  
  
Asher took him into an enthusiastic hug, and jumped to her feet, taking the steps two at a time. Hoggle merely laughed and hurried after.  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: OKAY, SO WE'VE CAUGHT UP OUR SPLIT PLOT! NOW, WHAT ABOUT HUMMIN? AND WILL AMBER AND JARETH FIGURE OUT THAT ASHERLYNN IS DIFFERENT THAN THEY THOUGHT? WILL AMBER BE LEAD IN ENDLESS CIRCLES CHASING AFTER THE ESCAPEES FOR DAYS-BETTER YET, WILL THE ESCAPEES ACTUALLY ESCAPE? WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THIS WHIRLWIND OF A STORY? FIND OUT-THE USUAL WAY, DUH; READ THE NEXT CHAPTER! AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~thanks~ 


	9. And Along Came Mippin

A/N: Wow. nine chapters on one story in four weeks. That's a record. I usually can't focus on one plot for that long-then again, this plot has almost morphed beyond recognition, so I guess it doesn't count. Oh well. Labyrinth isn't mine, it belongs to Henson-you should know that by now. Lyrics are "Seven Years" by Norah Jones.  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
"Eyes wide open  
  
Always hoping for the sun  
  
And she'll sing her song to anyone  
  
that comes along"  
  
Chapter Nine: And Along Came Mippin  
  
Amber shook her head as she realized she had been startled out of a light doze by something-a sound, or movement somewhere below her. She peered over the edge of her leafy nest, and found quite a scene below.  
  
Jareth had awoken to find only the newcomer, Mr. Hummin, staring intently at him. Not a very reassuring sight. It seemed Amber had woke in the midst of a conflict. She climbed slowly back down the tree, and silently watched the two fighting from beneath the shade of its leafy boughs.  
  
"Who, exactly, are you?" Jareth asked of Hummin, his elegant tone not belying his cautious anger.  
  
"I am Chetter Hummin, a robot. You are King Jareth, I presume, leader of this realm?" Hummin kept a voice as calm and grave as his countenance.  
  
"Yes. What is your business here, Mr. Hummin?" Jareth struggled to stay composed-it seemed this was more of a mental struggle, a battle of wits-or perhaps only a game of whose-is-bigger.  
  
In any case, Amber was getting tired of it, so she walked out from her shady hiding place and spoke up, "His business is to assist me. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"  
  
The pair blinked at her for a moment, as if trying to contemplate how anyone could be so daring as to step into the middle of such an important matter as their conversation had been. Finally, Jareth muttered something that sounded like a negative response to Amber's question, and she nodded, "Good. Then let's get going-we haven't got all day."  
  
She started her way back determinedly in a beeline towards where exit two was supposed to be, and it was all the other two could manage to follow behind obediently. Amber had bigger problems to worry about than their little rivalry, and as she plowed her way to exit two, she couldn't help wondering if someone-or something-else prowled along behind their little group... leaves don't rustle on their own.  
  
Suddenly, out from the trunks in front of her stumbled a tiny white kitten and what looked to be a young hobbit lass. Amber just gaped in amazement for a moment, then spoke, "And who are you?"  
  
The hobbit girl tossed back her sheet of dirty blonde hair, and stood, her wide eyes growing even more so in fear, "Name's Mippin, let me alone-I have a ways to go, yet."  
  
Amber raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "What makes you think I would hinder you-Mippin, was it?"  
  
Mippin nodded, "It was. I would think you might hinder me if you knew my business."  
  
Amber decided she might hinder the child yet, "Your business? And it would be...?"  
  
The hobbit shifted uneasily from foot to foot, "To rescue Asherlynn, The Hobbit Queen-I was sent by the Mayor of Hobbiton."  
  
Amber mused over this bit of information, then spoke further, "Asherlynn? I know her-I'm off on the same mission, though probably for different reasons- my name is Amber, by the by. So, they send children now, on their missions, the hobbit folk?"  
  
"Lady, I wasn't sent. I was chosen. If you haven't noticed, I'm a bit big for a hobbit of my age-I'm only 6, and already 3 feet in height. That's mighty big for a hobbit-I'm a half-breed-half-human, I am. So it followed naturally that I was to rescue our human Queen." Mippin took on the tone of a teacher addressing a remedial student, explaining the fundamentals of learning.  
  
Amber wondered why they would send a child so young all alone-no, she corrected herself-alone with only a kitten as a companion-on such a potentially dangerous mission. Amber said to the girl, "Well, would you like to travel with me? I think you would be safer if we went together, and we're on the same mission, besides."  
  
Mippin nodded, "Alright, but the cat comes to-I could hardly leave him all on his lonesome."  
  
Amber smiled and held out her hand, "Of course."  
  
Mippin scooped up the cat in one arm and placed her other tiny hand in Amber's. The two walked on, and one would think Amber had entirely forgotten the other members of their little ragbag band had she not shouted back over her shoulder, "Hurry up, boys."  
  
The man and robot scurried along in the wake of the two females, obeying Amber's motherly and commanding voice.  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
Meanwhile, back at exit two...  
  
:~:*^*:~:  
  
Around dawn, Asher and Hoggle had made it down the seemingly unending flight of steps. Hoggle shut the door to the dungeon tower of exit two, and both turned to look out before them. Asher tried almost in vain to keep herself on her feet as she looked out at the scenery-no ground beside the tower at all.  
  
They were standing on an old, creaky wooden dock, one that had no railing of any kind to keep you from falling off the side, and the murky waters around it looked to be hundreds of feet deep. Hoggle glanced at her concernedly, and took her hand, pulling and leading her towards a small raft.  
  
She seemed to freeze up a little more with every step they took, so that by the time they were standing on the dock beside the little raft, Hoggle was literally dragging her forward.  
  
He pinched her hand lightly, and Asher gave a tiny yelp, "Ow... why did you do that?"  
  
"Welcome back to reality. There's no way I'm going to be able to get you into that raft if you're not going to move on your own at all." Hoggle said with a note of irritation.  
  
Asher frowned, "Well, that's easy for you to say. What if I fell in? This water looks so deep... and I don't know how to swim!"  
  
Hoggle laughed-and didn't stop. He just laughed harder and harder. Asher, needless to say, was a bit perturbed by his actions and finally yelled, "WHAT IS SO BLOODY FUNNY?"  
  
Hoggle slowly regained his composure, and with an amused grin on his face simply stated, "Here, let me show you." He stepped over the edge of the dock, and just as Asher was about to let out a terrified scream as she watched him sink into the water-well, he didn't sink that far into the water. It came to his knees, which was a distance of less than three feet.  
  
Asher just sat there gaping like a fish out of water for a few minutes. She finally blinked herself back to herself, and it was all she could do to stammer out, "But I-it-it looked like it was... how is that possible?"  
  
Hoggle grinned, "A simple illusion to scare prisoners into staying put. Of course, I don't like to get my legs wet when I can help it, so I prefer poling that raft across, but if you'd rather walk, the option's open."  
  
Asher winced at the mention of walking through the lake and said with a hint of embarrassment in her voice, "Um... I think I would rather we pole this raft across-I don't fancy wading in that dirty lake water."  
  
Hoggle nodded, "Well, step onto it and have a seat. Actually, I think I'll pull it across, come to mention it."  
  
Asher stepped onto the raft and took a seat. Seemingly out of nowhere, Hoggle took up a rope that was tied around one end of the raft, and walked along at a good pace out across the water. Asher lapsed into silence as she glanced at the far shore. Hoggle trudged on, leaving her to her own thoughts-she knew they were in for a long bit of work.  
  
Soon, they came to the other end of the lake and Asher saw what she had taken as flat land was really a vast stretch of what looked like brown glass with green smears. Hoggle stopped, "And this is where things get interesting. Welcome to the next leg of your escape-trudging across the Take-it-For."  
  
Asher scrunched up her face in an expression of confusion, "The Take-it- For?"  
  
Hoggle nodded, "Yes, the Take-it-For. It changes to whatever the traveler happens to take it for. So if it appears to you as bog water, it changes to bog water. For most inexperienced travelers of the Labyrinth, this is as close as you get to the actual Bog of Eternal Stench, because that's what travelers expect it to be. The real Bog actually spans several hallways in the Castle."  
  
The raft bumped against the edge of the stuff, and Asher stepped onto it. She extended a hand to the surface, and it felt just like cool glass. Hoggle smiled, "Well, that's an original idea-glass. I never thought about it, but it does kind of look like it."  
  
He stepped on, and the space around his body seemed to be simply gaseous vapor swirling about his legs with an unknown ground below.  
  
Asher blinked in amazement at this different perception for a second, and then just walked on across the glassy surface beneath her own body. The further she went in this topsy-turvy place, the more frequently odd and inexplicable things happened. She was certainly going to have a story to tell when it was all said and done. 


End file.
